Senate OKs measure to reopen government

House prospects doubtful

January 2, 1996
Web posted at: 6 p.m. EST

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Senate approved a measure Tuesday to re-open the federal government until January 12. The bill, which aims to end an 18-day partial shutdown that has
furloughed 260,000 federal employees, has been sent to the
House.

It was unclear whether the House would accept the measure.
Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole said he hoped the House would
consider the continuing resolution Wednesday. The Senate
unanimously passed the measure by voice vote.

Dole, a Kansas Republican and front-runner for the party's
nomination to face Clinton in November's presidential
election, said it was time to end the government shutdown. 
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The measure is expected to face bitter resistance in the
House. Earlier on Tuesday, House Speaker Newt Gingrich said
he didn't think House Republicans would vote to re-open
government without a balanced budget agreement.

House Republicans have been opposed to any proposal to
re-open government until a seven-year balanced-budget
agreement is signed. They insist that financing government
departments that have run out of funds must be linked to a
concrete agreement on balancing the budget by 2002.

Temporary spending measures are needed because the
Republican-led Congress has failed to approve 1996 funds for
some agencies, and Clinton has vetoed other bills he said
would be detrimental to the environment and impair law
enforcement.
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